Lawyer charges for email answer?
Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
Lawyer charges for email answer?
Most Popular Reply
CPA · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
9yIn the professional services industry, our value is our brain. If you are tapping into my brain in any way shape or form, you better believe I'm going to charge you for it.
I'm a CPA, so it's a bit different. I didn't like sending clients invoices for emails, so now we just include unlimited emails in the overall pricing package. But it's definitely a paid part of the service.
So yes, I'd say it's standard and fair. You're tapping into knowledge and you should be okay paying for that knowledge, regardless of how easy it is for the attorney to rattle off.
36 Replies
- Derry, NH · Member since 2017 · 2 posts · 0 votes8y
I'm a little late to this thread; however, let me briefly share my point of view which applies to a current matter I'm handling.
A year or so ago, I hired a small-time lawyer to assist me with a very specific project: writing a good complaint to HR, regarding harassing behavior from my new boss. Fast forward about a year, I had two complaints that *I* wrote and he proof read and offered some minor advice for changes. First complaint was 2 pages; second 16 pages plug Appendix = 138 pages. But in the end, after paying him 2,100.00 he now claims I owe him 4,350.00 -- most of which comprises simple conversational emails, basic updates (some at his request).
We are going to small claims court over it.
This was the first time I had hired a lawyer, and I was clear about this to him. He never explained his billing practices as this, and frankly while I was in a panic over handling this difficult matter, I didn't dare challenge my one support system.
This is clearly a case where a lawyer over bills the client. I wish I got paid for answering simple emails, I'd be a millionaire. Unfortunately, the real world does not operate that way -- as an IT consultant, if I did that I would have a very reduced client list.
As a client, I should feel free to communicate openly with my attorney about my concerns, fears and have basic conversations without being billed for every single instance. Attorneys that practice this introduce unnecessary friction in their client relations, to their own detriment.
The lesson I learned in this is to ask the questions up front. Something I simply didn't know better of at the time, but don't fall victim to lawyers that practice like this. Good, moral lawyers are out there.
- Real Estate Broker · Naples, FL · Member since 2013 · 9k+ posts · 6k+ votes8y
I had one locally that billed by the 1/4 hour regardless if via phone, email, etc. Like anything else, rates vary and I have suspected that some were taking me for a ride so I got a new one. They are a dime a dozen.
- Derry, NH · Member since 2017 · 2 posts · 0 votes8y
John,
Look at your signed fee agreement. If it doesn't state a minimum charge, then your lawyer cannot practice that way. It's a violation (in most states) of professional conduct. This could be grounds for a lawsuit against him. It took another lawyer to point this out to me, per my situation.
Originally posted by @John Thedford:
I had one locally that billed by the 1/4 hour regardless if via phone, email, etc. Like anything else, rates vary and I have suspected that some were taking me for a ride so I got a new one. They are a dime a dozen.
- Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes8yLooking back at this I definitely overpaid, but just chalked it up to tuition when starting out. I paid almost 900 dollars for a single member llc formation. That was way to much. So anyone who think he had think or anything that’s not really true. I wanted to avoid the legalzoom type thing but looking back I should have just done that. Same thing at the end of the day for this sort of thing. So it’s my fault for paying an expensive attorney for this sort of thing but I don’t think it’s really necessary to bill for every single email related to this simple type of work. Again I think it depends. This lawyer billed for everything, like I said before my cpa doesn’t but I’m guessing that’s due to our friendship.
All good questions. An attorney I used recently would send me me short unsolicited e-mails every few weeks: "How are things with Fred Jones? Do you need any more assistance?" And she would bill for those questions. She removed the charge after I complained, but it was still irritating. I don't think the client should be charged for what is essentially a marketing, drumming up business e-mail. Nor should the client be charged to read his reply e-mail saying "no thank you, no more services needed at this time."
I could have ignored the e-mail from the lawyer, but to be charged because I chose to acknowledge receiving it and thanking her out of courtesy was not cool.
Attorneys should not be charging for unsolicited communications. That's silly, @Ed B.
But if you email a question... expect to pay for the answer -- in accordance with the written fee agreement that is required in every state. (Read yours.)
Gimer Law517 Reviews- Attorney · Winchester, VA · Member since 2015 · 726 posts · 387 votes8y
There is a caveat to unsollicited e-mails; if there is a pending and active case currently on retainer. There are reasons that lawyers will send these e-mails. Deadlines have a nasty tendency to creep up on lawyers, and issues need to be dated a month or two in advance if you want a timely resolution.
Lawyers send out these e-mails to make sure there is nothing that needs immediate attention on a case. It is actually required by some jurisdictions to engage in this kind of communication under our ethical rules, to make sure both ourself and our clients stay fully abrest of any developments in the overall case.
Granted, this does not apply to a situation in which there is not an active, retained case.
- 8yMichael PlaksPro MemberTax Accountant / Enrolled Agent · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
I wonder how many of the attorneys who replied to this thread are going to bill @Caleb Heimsoth for their input? :)
My response will be free. It's true that Realtors and CPAs, among others, tend to give away their time and knowledge for free. Attorneys and doctors rarely do.
It's interesting how nobody thinks to call (or email) their doctor for a free advice. After all, they have the answers, and it does not take much time. How often do you ask your contractor to simply fix something real quick while he is "there anyway", for free? How about asking the chef for a few tips while at his restaurant?
Just because someone has the knowledge or skills that I don't, does not entitle me to free access to theirs, even in small chunks. They invested time and money to obtain theirs.
Yes, sometimes the policies are too strict and the charges are excessive - but an expectation of free service and advice, no matter how quick it is to administer, is wrong.
BP is a nice exception where we exchange free knowledge, but we volunteer to do so.
- Member since 2023 · 1 post · 0 votes2y
Quote from @Jessica Zolotorofe:
That's a reason to hate lawyers? Because they charge you for their time? How else would you like them to make a living? OF COURSE they charge to answer emails. It takes up a good 6 hrs of my day just sending emails. That's how we get deals done more efficiently and quickly in order to keep your bills DOWN. Why would anyone think they should be getting services for free? You think if you email your doctor to ask them a few questions about your symptoms they'll gladly email you all day? No. They'll tell you to come in and pay them or to see another doctor. How about asking your contractor to come by and just paint a wall or 2? Absolutely not. You are entitled to get paid for your time. Period.
@Caleb Heimsoth, this was not directed at you at all. Just some ignorant people out there that really have no respect for how hard we work and just assume every lawyer pads their billing and does worthless work. Anyway, the answer is that yes, we bill for emails, but I don't bill a .1 for every email. Like others said, most lawyers will bill at the end of the day for all emails together, so no one gets over-billed for 1-liners.
That being said, residential closings should be flat billed anyway, so it shouldn't matter how many emails or calls you make or receive. $1200 for a closing should be $1200 no matter how long it really takes.
I just don’t like the fact my attorney tried tacking on a half hour phone call and then told me after the fact that emails are $50. I think that’s dishonest. He lost my trust and now I’ll find someone else.
Probably the difference between a Dr and an attorney is it’s a Dr’s job to care for people directly. My time is money also but I don’t get to charge someone for every single second they use. In fact as a gig worker I’m in the opposite boat to an attorney. Were taken advantage of all day long. And if I don’t jump through hoops they’ll rate me bad and I’ll lose my -not even basic hourly rate - job. Funnily enough it’s the rich people who tip the worst and I’ve yet to understand that.
I’m not against paying people for their time especially in a field like law where it a lot to learn I just think their needs to be honesty and not charging people before they know the price list. And if they do something to me I’d like to be able to charge them In return. I’d like to do that to banks and utility companies mainly for all the time I waste on the phone fighting their corruption. Out of interest, how does an attorney even cope with being put on hold for a utility company? Thats got to make you mad? You can get an assistant to do it I’m sure.
- 2yAlecia LovelessPro MemberMember since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
@Caleb Heimsoth My father and sister are lawyers. They do bill for emails. Unlike many years ago they now end up having to write off about 50% off their billed time because their clients simply don’t pay for the work that is done for them which is not right.
If you hire someone to do an A+ job for you please expect to pay for it when they put in the work for you. They have spent years in school, hundreds of hours in continuing education, and decades in putting in the work to get to where they are today.
Yes it may only take them 2 minutes of work to write their response to you but that is because they have the built up knowledge to do so.
Please respect the lawyers doing their job so that our job can be that much easier.
- Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes2y
Reviving a 6 year old discussion is always interesting .
When hiring anyone for their expertise , or their skill, for something you cant do , or have the time to do , you should expect to pay for their time .
As far as a lawyer charging for responding to an email , that takes time away from something else , if they have to think and then type , thats what they bill for . It was explained to the client when they hired the lawyer . 20 emails in a day could be an hour or 2 .
When hiring anyone that provides a service ( white collar or blue collar ), they are billing you to cover all their business expenses and make a profit .
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.